The Circle Goes To Tortall
by Ryuu Takeshi
Summary: A plague has hit summersea. what will happen when the circle is forced to flee with their students and teachers. what is this mysterious new land they find themselves in? read and find out. my first fic.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I own nothing; all things in this story beside the plot belong to Tamora Pierce**

CHAPTER ONE

LEAVING

"How can you expect me to leave," asked lady Sandreline Fa Toren, almost screaming at her uncle.

"Because I wish to know that you are safe and away from here," His Grace Duke Vedris paced in his study, _how can I make her understand_, he wondered, _she has to leave, for her own good_, "You have to understand my dear, if anything were to happen to you I wouldn't be able to live with myself." She glared at him.

"Don't you think I feel the same way uncle? I want to stay here with you; I want to make sure that you don't fall ill as well." Sandry, as she preferred to be called, was in tears. "I don't want to leave you here among the dying, all alone, you need me."

"Of course I need you dear one," He said brushing her tears off her cheeks, "That is why you must go for above all else I need you to be safe. I need to know that you are well out of this, you have done more than enough already, please Sandry, please." Tears had begun to spring forth in his eyes as well. "I cannot lose you to this plague as well." He was speaking of his late lover, the dancer Yazmin Hebet, who had been one of the first to perish when the plague came to Summersea.

"But uncle. I couldn't stand losing you either." She was openly weeping now, unable to hold back the cascade of tears that threatened to overwhelm her. His Grace knew this would be difficult on her, he was asking her to give up the most permanent home she had ever had. She had only been back a year since her trip to Dancruan in Namorn, and now he was asking her to leave, possibly, when she did return, her old life would be in ruins. He understood why it was hard for her, but he also understood that she must leave. He could not let her be in danger.

"Enough," he said at last, after he got his own tears under control. "I'm sorry Sandry but I have made up my mind, I am not going to lose you as well, you will be leaving tomorrow, you and Briar and Tris and Daja," he named her foster sisters and brother. "As well as your students. I will not let you die." With that he stormed off to make final preparations for her departure. Sandry sank to the floor weeping. Her clothes remaining perfect, compliments to her power as a thread mage. Without warning the memory of the last plague she had been in came to her mind. She was sitting near her parents beds, their skin riddled with pockmarks, they were dead, then she was in a cold dark room with nothing to comfort her but a small nearly dead oil lamp. She hated the dark, back then she hated it so much she called on magic. Magic she was sure she did not have, only she did. It had called light into her silk thread, it kept her sane the long nights she was trapped.

Until finally Niklaren Goldeye came for her. He had said he was looking for treasure, only the treasure was hers, her life and magic. He brought her to Discipline at Winding Circle Temple in Emelan, where she met Lark and Rosethorn, the two women who ran Discipline Cottage. And also, her foster sisters, Trisana Chandler and Daja Kisubo, as well as her foster brother Briar Moss. As if they had heard her thoughts, which of course they had, her three foster siblings came in quietly to comfort her.

Tris was a fiery red head with a temper to match her sharp tongue. Her long red hair was done up in many braids. A weather mage, she had trapped the forces of hurricanes, volcanoes, tides, and even lightning storms in those braids. Perched on her shoulder was a glass dragon, called Chime, for her musical voice. Chime was perfectly clear unless she had just eaten something and now stood on Tris's shoulder, one clawed talon grasping a thick lightning braid. The lightning didn't seem to bother the dragon, why would it, lightning was her own life's blood.

Daja was a strong looking dark skinned girl, a trader she carried with her an ebony staff with a brass cap etched with markings, that told those, who knew how to read trader staffs of her life and deeds. Daja was a smith mage, she worked her power into the metal, she forged. On her hand she had living metal, metal that was able to live and grow. It had come about as part of a forest fire when her olds staffs brass cap had melted onto her hand in the heat of the flames, and was bonded to her by magic. Her long thin braids flapped as she sat down next to Sandry.

Briar had been a street rat and thief. He was a tall youth and had striking green eyes. On his hands existed flowery vine tattoo's which moved and grew just under his skin. The dyes he had used had been vegetable dyes, he had only wanted to hide his arrest tattoo's that he had previously had but hadn't known that the dyes would react ot his magic, green magic, and start to move and grow. The end result blotted out his jailhouse tattoo's as surely as if they had never been but the end result was far more conspicuous than his old tattoo's.

He sat on Sandry's other side and flung one arm around her shoulder. Tris sat on a stool close by.

_Don't worry,_ Briar told her threw their magical bond, _everything will be fine. We will always be with you._

_I know,_ said Sandry, _I just wish I didn't have to leave uncle._ her tears were beginning to slow.

_Do not worry saati_, sent Daja, using the word for a non trader friend who was as dear to you as family, _he will be fine, he's tough, no plague is going to get him._ Sandry looked at her

_You really think so?_

_I know so._ Sandry began to looked up and groped in her pocket for her handkerchief, Tris held one out to her and began to wipe the tears from her face.

_Like Briar said, 'don't worry.' As long as were together nothing will ever happen_ , that was Tris, who now joined the others on the floor, giving Sandry a hug as she sat.

_Thank you_, Sandry said, _all of you, I know its not any easier for you._

"You got that right," Briar said out loud, standing and dusting off the seat of his pants. "Now come on we had best go pack and check on the others, they're probably not doing so good either." With that that the other three stood up and walked off to their rooms to finish packing.

**Well what did you think, this is my first fan fiction, if you liked it please review, and I may consider writing more.**


	2. Chapter 2

**DISCLAIMER: I own nothing but the plot, all characters, locations, etc. belong to Tamora Pierce.**

Sandry stood on the deck of the great vessel, _WaveSprinter_, as it moved slowly out to sea. Around her stood her family, Briar, Tris, and Daja. Along with their students Pasco, and Evvy. Glaki was there as well. She had been rather young and shy when Tris had first brought her to winding circle from the distant land Tharios, where her mother had been murdered. Comas, Larks new student stood at the railing a little ways off, heaving over the side. She smiled, _not even off thirty minutes and already he's seasick_. Behind him stood Lark, making sure her new student did not decide to go for a dip in the chilly water. Briar and Evvy stood with Briars teacher Rosethorn, and Daja stood next to Frostpine, who didn't look all that well himself. Niko and Dedicate Crane, stood a off to the side whispering heatedly about something. Tris stood with Sandry, offering what comfort she could for her distraught sister. Looking out over the waves they could just make out the high towers that guarded Summersea harbor. Briar, and Daja came to join them, staring at those high towers until they disappeared from view. When at last they sank beyond the horizon Sandry began to cry. Tears streaming down her face, glinting like glass in the setting sun. The ship slowly plowed its way through the murky water, never knowing if it or its passengers would ever see the land they had called home again.

**I know that this chapter is short; a new one is coming soon. Sorry for the wait, I lost my notebook with all my writing in it, so I'm starting over from memory. The next chapter should be better and hopefully longer. Please review. I don't care if you hated it I like all reviews; they tell me what I need to work on.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot. All characters, locations, etc. belong to Tamora Pierce**

Over the next few days things were pretty quiet on the _WaveSprinter_. Everyone soon assimilated into life aboard the large vessel. Though Comas still suffered bouts of seasickness whenever the deceptively calm sea began to get rough. Sandry, however, was not so easily distracted. Most days she could be found staring over the side of the ship toward Emelan. Briar, Tris, and Daja worried about her and did everything they could to make their once lively foster sister smile. The only time she wasn't sad, it seemed, was when she was spinning or weaving.

"We've, got to do something," Daja whispered furiously to Briar and Tris. "I can't stand seeing her like this." They all looked at Sandry who was at her usual place near the rear of the ship gazing toward home.

"You're right. But what can we do that we haven't already tried?" Tris asked. "Wait a minute, Briar!"

"Yah, coppercurls?" he replied, using his favorite nickname for her.

"Remember that place you took us to when we left Namorn? Could we go their again, maybe that would cheer her up."

"Maybe," Briar looked thoughtful, "in any case it's worth a try. They all sank deep into meditation, drawing themselves out of their bodies and into that part of Briars mind that held their cottage. He had made it, he said while he was held prisoner by the Yanjing emperor. Back then he had used it to escape the abysmal place he had been trapped in. When they entered it, it was as if they had just walked through the trapdoor to the roof of discipline cottage. Which had been their home for four years. Everything was so real, from the sounds, to the sights and smells. It felt like they were truly back home. Daja took a deep breath and settled herself on the roof, straddling its peak with her back to the stone chimney.

"Now we just need to get Sandry here," she said leaning her head back.

"I'll get her," said Briar, as Tris stretched out on the thatch covering the roof. Briar left the two alone, and woke up in his body. He stood up stiffly and walked over to Sandry, sitting down next to her.

"Sandry," he said, she looked over at him.

"What is it Briar?" He looked at her and answered through their bond. _Would you care to join us_? She looked puzzled but allowed her to lead her out of her body to the other two. When she stepped on the thatch she momentarily lost her breath as tears swelled in her eyes.

"Thank you," she whispered settling down next to Tris. Briar, who was already straddling the roof across from Daja, reached down and plucked a loose straw from the thatch.

"You're welcome," he said tickling her earlobe with the straw. She swatted his hand away, laughing for the first time since their voyage had begun.

**Well what did you think. Please review. Tell me what I need to work on or it won't get any better. If you have a suggestion for the story I would love to hear it. Hope to write another installment later. See Ya.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot. All characters, locations, etc. belong to Tamora Pierce**

Tortall

Alanna watched as Keladry of Mindelan and Nealan of Queenscove practiced their swordsmanship in one of the large practice courts. They were pretty evenly matched which surprised, the lady night. She had thought her one time squire would win, what with all the training she had beaten into him.

"Hey you two," she said with a grin, "the winner of this round is going to have to face me!" Nealan, who preferred to be called Neal, looked positively alarmed by this sudden turn of events. Kel suddenly dropped her guard and instinctively, Neal thrust in winning the match. Both Kel and Alanna were smiling.

"Good luck Neal," said Kel, turning and laughing. She was laughing so hard that she didn't notice lord Raoul standing in front of her until she ran smack into him. Now it was Neal turn to smile wickedly.

"Good luck Kel," he called back mockingly as Raoul drug the protesting Kel off to the Tilting yards to practice the joust.

Later that evening at dinner, both Kel and Neal were looking thoroughly miserable. Both of them now sported some heavy bruises that not even Kel's bruise balm could cure fully. Their friends, Owen, and Merrik came to sit across from them.

"Ouch," Owen said as Merrik nodded agreement, "what happened Kel? You get kicked by a horse."

"Worse," said Merrik trying his best to hold in his laughter. "It was probably lord Raoul." It was too much for both of them and they all burst out laughing at the site of the two friends faces. Dom, another friend and Neal's cousin came and sat next to Neal, laughing just as loudly. Neal glared at him.

"What are you laughing at?" He asked, menacingly, though due the large bruise that ran from his collarbone to cheek he just looked comical.

"I don't know yet," he said in between bouts of laughter, "but if your involved meathead it must be funny."

He dodged the swing Neal took at his head and swiped one of his rolls. Grinning mischievously he stuffed half in his mouth as he continued to laugh. Suddenly he began choking on the role. Kel seeing this punched him in the stomach, winding him and effectively dislodging the roll. Ignoring the uncontrollable laughter of his knight friends the captain of third company of the kings own began to eat his food in a sullen silence. Kel stood up shakily, her back one massive bruise, and limped off to her room. Neal, also limping but more heavily, hurried to catch up to her as their friends laughed about how they needed more bruise balm.

**Well what do you think? I thought I should let you know what is happening in Tortall. Seeing as Sandry, and co. isn't going anywhere. Thanks for the reviews, everyone who sent one. Please continue to review, all reviews welcome.**


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